Display rack tray support



March 1968 c. B. ROLLINS, JR 3,

DISPLAY RACK TRAY SUPPORT Filed Oct. 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORZ TTORNEY March 26, 1968 c. B. ROLLINS, JR

DISPLAY RACK TRAY SUPPORT Filed Oct. 5, 1966 I INVENTOR:

(Zia 13. K044 mgJ. BY E g g )5 i 7 A'FI'ORNEY United States Patent 3,374,900 DISPLAY RACK TRAY SUPPORT Clark B. Rollins, Jr., Nashville Display Manufacturing Co., P.0. Box 491, 1415 Elm Hill Road, Nashville, Tenn. 37210 Filed Oct. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 583,558 8 Claims. (Cl. 211133) This invention relates to a display rack, and more particularly to a tray support for a display rack.

In the display rack art there are certain general types of racks for displaying various types of food or food snack items, such as potato chips, corn chips, popcorn and others. These display racks usually incorporate a pair of side standards or frames connected by ,a back frame for supporting a plurality of vertically spaced and detachable trays. Both the side and back frames and the trays are generally made primarily, if not entirely, from wire or wire rod stock. There are many ways of supporting and guiding the trays into their proper positions in the rack, and many of these incorporate slidable supports.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide in a display rack, a tray support, which not only supports the tray, but also secures the tray in a substantially fixed operative position for displaying various items.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tray support in a display rack which will not only support, but accurately position, the tray within the rack in operative position, and will also facilitate removal of the tray from the rack when desired.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tray support for a display rack including means for guiding the tray into its proper position within the rack.

A further object of this invention is to provide a tray support for a display rack in which the tray supporting structure comprises means for limiting the movement of the tray.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tray support for a wire display rack in which the supporting structure is integral with the wire construction of both the tray and the supporting frames.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary right front perspective view of a display rack incorporating the tray support made in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side elevation of the display rack of FIG. 1 disclosing one tray in position;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the right hand portion of the tray supported in the rack.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the display rack includes a right side support frame or standand 11 and a left side support frame or standard 12 secured to a back frame 13. In a manner to be described, one or more trays, such as the tray 15, is adapted to be received in and supported by the support frames 11 and 12, and optionally by the back frame 13.

The back frame 13 includes a plurality of vertically disposed elongated wires 17 secured together by a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal transverse wires 18.

The right side support frame 11 includes a rear post 20 and a front post 21. The bottom end of the rear post 20 forms a rear foot for supporting the side frame 11 upon a surface, such as a floor. A front foot 22 forms an integral and depending part of a horizontal bar 23 fixed to the bottom of the front post 21 and fixed to the lower portion of the rear post 20.

Vertically spaced and fixed to the front and rear posts 20 and 21 are a plurality of tray guiding and support 3,374,900 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 members 25, 25' and 25". The tray support member 25, supporting the tray 15, comprises an elongated top guide rod 27 extending the entire width of the side support frame 11 and fixed to and extending beyond both posts 21 and 20. The rear end of the guide rod 27 is looped at 28 around the extreme right vertical wire 17 in the back frame 13 to assist, with other guide rods 27' and 27", in fixing the back frame 13 to the right side support frame 11. The forward portion 29 of the guide rod 27 projects in the same straight line as the guide rod 27 forwardly of the front post 21 and then merges into a forwardly diverging top wing rod 30. Depending from the front end of the top wing rod 30 is a vertical guide bar 31. The bottom end of the vertical guide bar 31 integrally connects the front end of a forwardly diverging bottom wing rod 32, which is parallel to and in the same vertical plane as the top wing rod 30. The rear end of the bottom wing rod 32 merges into the front end of the hanger rod 33 fixed to the front post 21. Hanger rod 33 is preferably horizontal, parallel to and in the same vertical plane as the forward guide rod portion 29.

The construction of the tray support members 25' is identical to the construction of the tray support member 25, such as the top guide rods 27 and 27. Moreover, the construction of the bottom tray support member 25" is also the same as the construction of the tray support member 25, with the exception of the hanger rod 33" which does not terminate at the front post 21, but continues rearwardly parallel to the top guide rod 27" past the rear post 20 to form a loop 35 also encircling the vertical back fr-ame wire 17.

The tray 15 includes a bottom tray frame 37 including a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel wires 38 which are connected by a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse wires 39, including the transverse supporting wire 40, The transverse wires 39 and 40 terminate at and are fixed to the side frame rods 41 and 41 forming the side edges of the bottom tray frame 37.

The tray 15 may also include a top retaining rod 43 extending across the front of the tray 15 and rearwardly past the supporting wire 40. The top rod 43 then merges into depending rod portions 44 and 44, which merge into rearwardly extending side rods 45 and 45'. These side rods 45 and 45 are parallel to side frame rods 41 and 41' and slightly spaced apart to sandwich the ends of the transverse rods 39 between them.

Projecting from opposite sides of the tray 15 as extensions of the support wire 40 are hangers 47 and 47?. Each hanger, such as 47 includes a laterally extending supporting member 48 terminating in a depending tongue 49. As disclosed in the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1, the hanger 47 is constructed by extending the wire 40 outwardly beyond the side frame rod 41 then downwardly to form a reverse loop in a vertical plane, then is bent back horizontally to extend inwardly to form a trailing rod parallel to the supporting wire 40. Thus, both hangers 47 and 47 are formed from the same single wire 40 which is a part of the bottom tray frame 37.

The width of the tray 15, or the width of the bottom tray frame 37, is slightly less than the distance between the top guide rods 27 and the distance between the hanger rods 33. Moreover, the effective length of the lateral supporting member 48, that is the distance between the side frame rod 41 and the depending tongue 49 is slightly greater than the width or diameter of the hanger rod 33. The distance between the side frame rod 41 and the tongue 49 is also slightly less than the distance between the side frame rod 41 and the vertical guide rod 31 when the tray 15 is seated or assembled in the rack 10.

The length of the vertical guide rod 31, or the distance between the hanger rod 33 and the forwardly extending 3 guide rod portion 29 must be greater than the height of the tongue 49.

The rear portion of the bottom frame 37 must also be supported in some way to one or more of the support frames 11, 12 or 13. One specific means of supporting the rear of the bottom frame 37 is one or more clip members 60, each having a pair of vertically spaced horizontally disposed ears 61 and 62 formed by bending an extended portion of the rear end of the longitudinal wire 38 in the bottom frame 37. The location of the clip members 60 is such that each clip member will fit around and receive the horizontal back frame wire 18 simultaneously with the registry and support of hangers 47 and 47 over their corresponding hanger rods 33.

As will be seen from a description of the operation of the invention, not only the construction of the tray supporting members 25, 25 and 25 and the hangers 47 and 47, but also the relative spacing of the various elements as described above, are important to the operativeness of the invention.

In the operation of the invention, the tray 15 is assembled in the display rack by thrusting the tray through the open front of the rack 10 between the side supporting frames 11 and 12. The side frame rods 41 and 41' are inserted between the vertical guide rods 31, which being more widely spaced apart than the top guide rods 27, assist in guiding the tray 15 between the side support frames 11 and 12, and particularly between the front posts 21. As the tray 15 is moved rearwardly, the guide frame rods 41 and 41' are guided by the posts 21 and possibly by the top guide rods 27, depending upon the attitude and elevation of the tray 15 relative to the rack 10. As the hanger 47 and 47 approach the vertical guide rods 31, the tongues 49 must 'be raised to pass over the bottom Wing rods 32. Simultaneously, the clip members 60 must register with the horizontal back frame wire 18. When the back frame wire 18 is seated within the clip member 60, the hangers 47 and 47 are in registry with the hanger rods 33, and therefore may be lowered so that the tongues 49 pass on the outsides of the hanger rods 33, and each supporting member 48 may rest upon its corresponding hanger rod 33. Thus seated, the tray 15 is limited in its forward movement by the bottom wing rods 32 diverging outwardly in front of the tongues 49. Moreover, the rearward movement of the seated tray 15 is limited, not only by the clip member 60 engaging the horizontal back frame wire 18, but also by the front posts 21 fixed to the hanger rods 33 slightly behind the seated positions of the tongues 49.

The forward guide rod portions 29 may also assist in limiting the lateral movement of the side portions of the top retainer rod 43 on tray 15.

The spacing between the forward rod portion 29 and the hanger rod 33 must be greater than the height of the tongue 49 in order to permit the tongue 49 to pass between the wing rods 30 and 32in raised position, as the tray 15 is moved forwardly or rearwardly.

In order is disassemble the tray 15 from the rack 19, the reverse procedure is employed. In other words, the front portion of the tray 15 is raised, and then withdrawn forwardly from the rack 10.

Although one tray 15 has been disclosed, it will be understood that other identical trays may be received 4 between the corresponding tray supporting members 25 and 25".

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tray support for a display rack comprising:

(a) an upright side support frame having an inside and an outside, and a front and rear,

(b) a tray having a side frame, said tray being adapted to be received within said rack with said side frame adjacent the inside of said side support frame,

(c) said side support frame comprising a forwardly projecting hanger rod,

(d) a win g member diverging outwardly from the front of said hanger rod,

(e) a hanger member projecting outwardly from said side frame and terminating in a depending tongue,

(f) said tongue being spaced outwardly from said side frame sufficiently that said hanger member extends across said hanger rod and said tongue depends adjacent the outside of said hanger rod when said tray is received in said rack,

(g) said wing member limiting the forward movement of said tongue.

2. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising means limiting the rearward movement of said hanger member.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said limiting means comprises a post in said side support frame, said hanger rod being fixed to and projecting forwardly of said post.

4. The invention according to claim 1 in which said wing member is a. wing rod and further comprising a vertical guide bar projecting upwardly from said wing r-od, said vertical bar being spaced outwardly sufficiently to permit said tongue to move rearwardly past the inside of said vertical guide bar.

5. The invention according to claim 4 further comprising a guide rod fixed in said side support frame above and in the same vertical plane as said hanger rod to limit the upper movement of said hanger member.

6. The invention according to claim 5 in which said guide rod extends to the rear of said side support frame.

7. The invention according to claim 1 in which said tray further comprises a wire bottom frame including a transverse support wire, said hanger member comprising a lateral extension of said transverse support wire.

8. The invention according to claim 5 in which the height of said tongue is less than the spacing between said guide rod and said hanger rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,680,522 6/1954 Temple 2l1--18l XR 3,252,434 5/1966 Young 211-181 XR 3,318,461 5/1967 Marschak 2ll133 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TRAY SUPPORT FOR A DISPLAY RACK COMPRISING: (A) AN UPRIGHT SIDE SUPPORT FRAME HAVING AN INSIDE AND AN OUTSIDE, AND A FRONT AND REAR, (B) A TRAY HAVING A SIDE FRAME, SAID TRAY BEING ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED WITHIN SAID RACK WITH SAID SIDE FRAME ADJACENT THE INSIDE OF SAID SIDE SUPPORT FRAME, (C) SAID SIDE SUPPORT FRAME COMPRISING A FORWARDLY PROJECTING HANGER ROD, (D) A WING MEMBER DIVERGING OUTWARDLY FROM THE FRONT OF SAID HANGER ROD, (E) A HANGER MEMBER PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE FRAME AND TERMINATING IN A DEPENDING TONGUE, (F) SAID TONGUE BEING SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE FRAME SUFFICIENTLY THAT SAID HANGER MEMBER EXTENDS ACROSS SAID HANGER ROD AND SAID TONGUE DEPENDS ADJACENT THE OUTSIDE OF SAID HANGER ROD WHEN SAID TRAY IS RECEIVED IN SAID RACK, (G) SAID WING MEMBER LIMITING THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID TONGUE. 